The number of biker deaths is rising

Police have renewed their pleas for motorcyclists to put safety first over the bank holiday weekend, which has already seen a fatal accident.

A biker was killed and three other people were seriously injured in a head-on crash on the A483 in mid Wales on Sunday.

It brings the motorcyclist death toll on Welsh roads to 17 so far this year, including five deaths in one weekend.

The rising fatality figure has led to Wales' four police forces running an all-Wales motorbike safety campaign to cut the rising biker death toll on Welsh roads.

The latest victim was one of a group of riders travelling towards Llandrindod Wells.

Fatality

He died instantly in the collision with an on-coming car, near the village of Llanbister.

Two other motorcyclists were also hurt, and a female passenger from the car was airlifted to hospital in a serious condition. The road was closed for several hours.

Dyfed-Powys Police have begun an investigation into the cause of the crash but a spokesman said any fatality highlighted the issue of motorcyclists' safety.

He said: "Yet again at the weekend, someone has died on the roads.

"This causes a great amount of grief for the families of all involved.

"All riders should be aware that the roads in Dyfed and Powys are wide and look as if they can be ridden at high speed.

"Nothing could be further from the truth.

"These roads have many bends and other obstacles that when approached at high speed present a considerable danger to not only the rider but to other road users."

BikeSafe Cymru, launched last month, offers motorbike riders the chance to have their riding technique examined by a professional instructor.